Are we supposed to be mindful all the time?Doesn't that make us not planning anything at all?Mindful means "flow" or does it mean be aware of everything?When doing things like listening to music for example I rather let my fantasy run wild instead being "aware" of everyhting around us.'''

You won't lose the beauty of "going with the flow". It'll become better.

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years; I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways, Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears, I hid from Him, and under running laughter. Up vistaed hopes I sped; And shot, precipitated, Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears, From those strong Feet that followed, followed after. But with unhurrying chase, And unperturbèd pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy, They beat - and a Voice beat - More instant than the Feet - ‘All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.’

It's about having your mind on what your are doing while you are doing it. So while you're driving, your mind is on driving. If you need to plan for dinner, plan for dinner, but try not to let your thoughts wonder needlessly. The best place to start is on your breath whilst meditating. This is how I understand it

Seishin wrote:It's about having your mind on what your are doing while you are doing it. So while you're driving, your mind is on driving. If you need to plan for dinner, plan for dinner, but try not to let your thoughts wonder needlessly. The best place to start is on your breath whilst meditating. This is how I understand it

Gassho,Seishin.

I got my driving license but haven't really practise my driving skills yet,so is it even possible to drive wthout putting your mind or driving,that sounds a bit scary to me haha. ..And how are we suppose to benefit from "living in the moment"?. ..(IMO "living in the present" is not equivalent to "living in the moment" ,the former phrase seems a bit yolo-ish(现在) ,mindfulness as far as I understand is 当下. ..)'''

GarcherLancelot wrote:Are we supposed to be mindful all the time?Doesn't that make us not planning anything at all?Mindful means "flow" or does it mean be aware of everything?When doing things like listening to music for example I rather let my fantasy run wild instead being "aware" of everyhting around us.'''

Depends on the practice tradition you belong to. Usually in Vajrayana you try to be mindful of what you experienced at the dissolving of the completion stage or what was experienced by following the pointing out instructions.

"Mindfulness" in Buddhism is generally a reference to "Four Stations of Mindfulness" (both in Theravada and Mahayana). It means you should practice to be mindful of Body, Mind, Feelings and Dharmas all time. Our minds are extremely programmable, so if you practice (put effort, use concentration) to be "mindful" for quite some time, then you will automatically get accustomed to be more mindful in everyday life effortlessly.

In our normal everyday life, we get drawn to random everyday thoughts and get carried away by them and this is our mundane/natural state because we have been doing this since a very long time. But if we try to be mindful, our normal state of mind would shift to the state of being mindful all the time.

I am not sure, though, that if you are mindful all the time does it also include "grasping" at dharmas all the time? Or in other words, is it sufficient if you do not grasp at Dharmas and therefore naturally come to a mindful state?

In my experience, animals show a very great deal of mindfulness. Observe cats, leopards, Tigers etc, and they never can be caught off guard!

Rakshasa wrote:"Mindfulness" in Buddhism is generally a reference to "Four Stations of Mindfulness" (both in Theravada and Mahayana). It means you should practice to be mindful of Body, Mind, Feelings and Dharmas all time. Our minds are extremely programmable, so if you practice (put effort, use concentration) to be "mindful" for quite some time, then you will automatically get accustomed to be more mindful in everyday life effortlessly.

In our normal everyday life, we get drawn to random everyday thoughts and get carried away by them and this is our mundane/natural state because we have been doing this since a very long time. But if we try to be mindful, our normal state of mind would shift to the state of being mindful all the time.

I am not sure, though, that if you are mindful all the time does it also include "grasping" at dharmas all the time? Or in other words, is it sufficient if you do not grasp at Dharmas and therefore naturally come to a mindful state?

In my experience, animals show a very great deal of mindfulness. Observe cats, leopards, Tigers etc, and they never can be caught off guard!

No grasping to mental constructs, people can get fear by thinking their practice will starve itself to death. But resting in simplicity, free of taking things as real, well